HIGH SCHOOL ICE HOCKEY: Strong season for area preps

Princeton Day was just one game and a matter of seconds from an even more historic season. Lawrenceville, with its grueling New England based schedule, held its own.

Hun captured the Independence League regular season without a blemish and then breezed through the playoffs and Pennington was a young team which continued to get better.

None of this could’ve been achieved without some very talented players that are honored by The Trentonian.

Offensive Player of the Year — Ross Colton (Princeton Day) — One of the top players around, Colton netted 25 goals and added 22 assists in 24 games for the Panthers. When Colton is on the ice, he is a player that makes everyone around him a better player. A dynamic scorer, he will be a huge asset for PDS the next two seasons.

Defensive Player of the Year – Eric Szeker (Hun) — It was a very successful season for the Raiders and just about everything they did started with Szeker. Besides being a solid defender, he possesses the ability to put the puck in with the best of them. He was a leader on and off the ice.

Goalie of the Year — Connor Walker (Princeton Day) — The Panthers had a very aggressive forward line and the confidence they had in Walker helped them play that way. It seemed the bigger the game the more intense and determined Walker played.

Coach of the Year — Ian McNally (Hun) — Just a second-year coach, McNally has the Raiders playing fundamental and effective hockey. He led them to a conference championship and did so by blending veterans and newcomers into a cohesive unit.

Rob Colton (Princeton Day) — An All-Trentonian selection a year ago, the older Colton continued to play at a high level. Not afraid to dig in the corners he was one of the senior leaders on the Panthers.

Jordan Kaplan (Lawrenceville) — When the Big Red needed a big goal Kaplan found a way to get it. A steady and very skilled player, he just got better as the season progressed.

Rob Cerepak (Lawrenceville) — Cerepak averaged 1.4 points a game for Lawrenceville, but he meant so much more than just scoring. A very strong player that always took the play to the defense, Cerepak was one of the team leaders.

Dan Speeney (Pennington) — Called a “very responsible” player by his coach, Speeney led the Red Raiders on both ends of the ice. He tallied over 30 points and always was a key on the power play and the penalty kill. During the season he had an 11-point game.

Sean Timmons (Princeton Day) — If there was a player this year that stepped out of the shadow this season it was Timmons. A vastly improved defender, he also tied for the team lead in scoring with 47 points. He was a player that played in every situation.

Nick Minno (Lawrenceville) — Minno was the anchor on the Big Red defense. A tireless worker, he was also a key in getting the Lawrenceville transition game moving. He has been a very steady and dependable player.

Taran Auslander (Princeton Day) — Auslander played more minutes than any other player on the Panthers and it was because he earned the right to be there. He played on the PDS power play and showed his all-around ability.

Devin Cheifetz (Hun) — Cheifetz was steady in the net all season for the Raiders and played through some injuries. When Hun was challenged in the conference it was a save by Cheifetz that turned things in the Raiders’ favor.